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Ashby Conservation Commission

Annual Report

Wetlands are an important resource to Ashby. They protect, filter and provide the high quality of drinking water in our wells. They support fish in our streams and ponds. They provide the habitat and food sources for the birds and animals that make Ashby a unique place to live. And, they keep large tracts of land open and undeveloped so that our children and grandchildren might also experience the quality of life that we enjoy in Ashby.

The Ashby Conservation Commission is charged with protecting those Wetlands under Mass General Law Chapt. 131 Paragraph 40 - the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act in accordance with the Wetlands Protection Act Regulations (310 CMR 10.00). In that effort, the Commission has accomplished a number of things over the course of the last year that you may or may not be aware of.

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2. Assisted Landowners and prospective buyers in identifying existing wetlands on their property that are protected by the Wetlands Protection Act.

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• Over 82 site visits were conducted.
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• 17 Determinations of Applicability were issued. This is a formal response to a request to determine whether or not a project is required to make a filing under the Wetlands Protection Act.

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2. Assisted builders in planning and completing their projects while protecting Ashby Wetland resources.

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• 25 hearings were held for Notices of Intent to work within a resource area or its buffer zone.
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• 25 Orders of Condition outlining how the projects are to be conducted to minimize their impact upon our wetlands were issued.

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2. The Commission has responded to calls for emergency actions from residents.

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• 2 Emergency Work Certificates were issued to allow work to proceed without the hearing process.
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• 3 Enforcement Orders were issued in response to reports of wetlands violations - filling, dredging or altering a wetland without a valid Order of Conditions.

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2. The responsibility of the Commission, as spelled out in the Conservation Commission Act (HB 18.9) is to protect the community's natural resources. In that effort, the Commission has worked with the following Boards and Offices within the Town and out of Town on conservation issues over the past year:

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• Ashby Highway Department - to plan road resurfacing in sensitive wetland areas and repair drainage culverts that allow wetlands to pass under roadways without damage to either the wetland or the road.
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• Mass Highway - resurfacing Route. 31 from intersection with 119 to Fitchburg line
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• Mass Highway - replacement of a stone culvert under Wares Road. which carries a tributary to Pearl Hill Brook
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• Board of Health - to certify wetlands boundaries that might impact proposed new septic systems or replacement systems
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• Board of Health - to plan and monitor work at the sanitary landfill and plans for the cap.
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• Board of Health - to find a workable solution to flooding of septic systems by beaver ponds
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• Planning Board - to review, approve and supervise construction of sub-development fire ponds
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• Planning Board - to suggest and/or review revisions to zoning regulations
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• Planning Board - to lay the groundwork for an Open Space Committee
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• Board of Assessors - to identify open space within the town
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• Building Inspector - to enforce building code violations and monitor for wetlands violations
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• Board of Selectmen - to negotiate or consult on issues brought to their attention, such as beaver dams
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• Gravel Removal Board - to participate as a member in the resolution of issues and disputes
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• The Ashburnham Conservation Commission - to issued an Order of Conditions to allow limited weed chemical control in Little Watatic Pond

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2. An Open Space Plan is a requirement for eligibility for State Self-Help Funding (HB 8.1, 8.2) for open space acquisition by the town. The Conservation Commission is working in joint effort with the Planning Board to establish an Open Space Committee for the express purpose of producing an Open Space Plan for the Town of Ashby.
3. An Open Space Plan is an inventory of the town's natural resources along with relevant maps and plans for future growth and open space acquisition. It will be a map for the future growth of the town. It is the document that identifies some of the more important pieces of land for recreation, wildlife and wetlands resources; all of which are vital for the preservation of the country character of the town and the quality of life that it provides for its residents.

   The Open Space Committee will be composed of a variety of subcommittees, each charged with completing one aspect of the Open Space Plan. It is crucial to the success of the Open Space Plan that Ashby residents take an active role in defining their vision of Ashby in the year 2020 and beyond.

4. The Commission has maintained a membership in the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions for over 12 years. The Commissioners have attended educational workshops sponsored by MACC in Wetlands Protections, Plant and Soil Identification, Wetland Replication Techniques, Open Space Protection, and a variety of workshops offered at the annual conference in Worcester.
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6. Commission members are also active in the Nashua River Watershed, the Ashby Land Trust, the Open Space Committee and the Greater Gardner Sustainable Growth Committee.
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8. In the coming months, the Commission will be working with the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission to gather samples of other towns' Open Space plans and to receive assistance in writing grants to fund portions of the research, monitoring and documenting required by an Open Space Plan and/or locating free resources or expertise for assisting with some of this work.
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10. There are currently five Conservation Commissioners. They serve for a 3-year term. They are:

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• Roberta Flashman - Chair - Commission expires in 2001.
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• Robert Leary - Vice Chair - Commission expires in 2000.
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• Robert Bertram - Treasurer - Commission expires in 2001.
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• Janet Flinkstrom - Secretary - Commission expires in 2000.
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• Carolyn Damon - Commission expires in 1999.